Friday, January 29, 2010

We got here through Progressive nanny-statists co-opting our systems of governance, education, and communication. The real question is this: What are you going to do about it?

How are you going to educate yourself on combating this menace to our Constitutional form of Government? What are you going to do to safeguard your children's minds and inoculate them against feel-good rhetoric, and instead teach them WHY our nation and the ideas which begat it were so revolutionary?

Beyond personal preparation for the potential impending societal collapse caused by the implosion of our currency, there is a very real need to relearn the fundamental truths of economics and freedom. I am continuing my education through extensive reading of the classics, and the new intellectuals. I encourage you to do likewise.

After watching Glenn Beck's show tonight, I am adding one more book to my must have list: Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg. I already have Mark Levin's Liberty and Tyranny, I just have to read it. It is not yet at the top of my list. Maybe next week...

The late Charlie "Tremendous" Jones had many timely and poignant quotes that were real truisms. I will leave you with two of them tonight. Think about them as you watch the news of the day and interact with the people around you.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

On the subject of emails, I received the below email from my representative in the VA House of Delegates, Mark Cole. Several pro-gun bills are making their way through the session. And, with a new Governor, they even have a chance of making it into law.

Here is the update, reprinted here with permission from Delegate Cole, in its entirety:

The Virginia General Assembly session is underway in Richmond and this is to up date you on on its progress. If you do not want to receive these updates, please reply to this email with DELETE in the subject line. In this update:

- New Governor- Legislation- Open House February 15th in Richmond

NEW GOVERNOR

Virginia inaugurated a new governor, Bob McDonnell. Not surprisingly, he got to work very quickly. In an address to a joint session of the General Assembly on Martin Luther King Day, he laid out his priorities; making it clear that job creation and economic growth would be the chief focus of his new administration for the year ahead.

Specifically, Governor McDonnell is asking the General Assembly to pass measures and changes to the budget that will strengthen Virginia ’s economy. He also made clear that he will not support tax increases, pledging to veto bills that raised taxes or a budget based on higher taxes. This marks a significant change from the previous administration. The budget proposed by former Governor Kaine included a large hike in the income tax. Last week, the House voted on that plan.

Most delegates, myself included, had already indicated they would not support higher taxes. So, it wasn’t entirely surprising that the House rejected former Governor Kaine’s plan to raise the income tax. What was somewhat surprising was the margin, as the House rejected the tax hike by a vote of 97 to 0. Not a single member of the House of Delegates voted to raise the income tax.

While the Senate has yet to weigh in on the issue of taxes, it is clear that the House and Governor McDonnell will not support higher taxes. For people already struggling to make ends meet in the current economy, this is very good news.

LEGISLATION

While the state’s budget will receive most of the attention in news pages during this session, we’re considering a lot of other legislation as well. Among the hundreds of bills that will be considered by the General Assembly are several that I am submitting. Here is an overview of some of the legislation I am sponsoring:

House Bill (HB) 576 is in response to the Federal government’s plans to force individuals to buy health insurance. It simply states that residents of Virginia shall not be required to obtain a health insurance policy. It is similar to Delegate Bob Marshall’s HB 10 and I would expect these two bills to be combined.

House Joint Resolution (HJ) 88 is a resolution asking the US Congress to adopt an amendment to U.S. Constitution to require a balanced Federal budget. The Federal budget deficit has just ballooned in the last few years and I believe threatens our long term economic stability.

HB 18 Provides that goods and services made, sold, and retained in Virginia , shall be the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth and not the Federal government. The US Constitution gives the Federal government the ability to regulate interstate commerce, commerce that crosses state boundaries. The original intent was that states would regulate commerce within their borders. Over the years Congress and the Courts have expanded Federal reach to all commerce whether it crosses a state boundary or not. It is time for the states to begin pushing back and restrict the Federal government to its original mission. The states are perfectly capable of regulating commerce within their boundaries without Federal intrusion.

HB 50 would tighten the requirements to process absentee ballots in a timely manner. In recent years some localities have had problems sending out absentee ballots and the previous administration even argued in Federal court that they had no obligation to process absentee ballots in accordance with regulations. This legislation will make it clear that absentee ballots must be handled in a timely fashion.

HB 57 would freeze the Business, professional, and occupational license (BPOL) tax on businesses. Localities that have not imposed the tax would not be permitted to impose it in the future and localities that do impose the tax could not increase their rate. The BPOL tax is a very unfair tax on businesses because it is based on their gross receipts and not on profits or income. So a company could be losing money and still have to pay the tax. The BPOL tax was originally imposed to pay for the War of 1812. I think all the bills from that war were paid off a long time ago.

HJ 11 and HB 16 would place an amendment to the Virginia Constitution on the ballot that would give localities great flexibility in granting property tax relief to senior citizens and the disabled.

HB 17 reduces period of limitation for collection of delinquent state taxes from 20 to 10 years. Currently the Virginia Department of Taxation can go back 20 years to collect taxes. I think this is excessive and it is unreasonable to expect individuals and businesses to retain records for 20 years in order to defend themselves from an accusation that they may owe back taxes.

HB 55 would limit the amount of money that the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) can assess member localities to not more than the localities collection from the 2 percent gas tax that they impose to pay for VRE. This would keep member localities from having to use their general fund to pay the VRE subsidy and provide some incentive for VRE to control costs.

HB 106 would repeal the restaurant ban for concealed handgun permit holders and clarify that a permit holder could carry in a church with the church’s permission. The current law is confusing and open to interpretation. Guns are banned in church unless someone has a good reason to carry in church. But it never states what a good reason might be. What might be a good reason to one judge or Commonwealth Attorney might not be a good reason for another.

HB 107 corrects an oversight in the code. Currently school superintendents are supposed to be informed whenever one of their minor students is arrested or charged with a crime; this is so that the school may take action to protect other students in the school. However, the notification does not apply if the student is 18 or older. Some high school students are 18 or older and this bill would require that the superintendent be notified if they are arrested or charged as well.

HB 110 is another bill dealing with the BPOL tax. It would allow localities to decide to impose on business's gross receipts or its State taxable income, making the tax a little fairer.

HB 575 would give school systems flexibility in meeting specific state education mandates when their state funding is being reduced. This would give local school boards greater flexibility in dealing with state budget cuts.

HB 577 would extend the time to appeal real estate property assessments.

HB 580 Allows localities to exempt long time members of the sheriff's volunteer citizen support units from local vehicle license fees.

OPEN HOUSE

I would like to invite you, your family and your neighbors to spend the day with us at the General Assembly for our “Richmond Open House” on Monday, February 15th (President’s Day). There will be coffee and doughnuts in the morning along with an explanation of how the General Assembly works. Depending on your schedule, you are welcome to sit in on committee meetings and attend Session. We will be gathering from 9:30am to 11:00am in 8th Floor West Conference Room of the General Assembly Building, which is located at the corner of 9th and Broad Streets in Richmond . If you will be attending and have not already replied, please call my office at (804) 698-1088 or email us at Delegate@MarkLCole.com. If you are not able to attend on February 15th, but would like to visit on another day, please give us a call.

If you have any questions about anything mentioned in this email or an issue before the General Assembly, please feel free to reply to this email or contact me.

I am thankful to have a representative in the House of Delegates who is pro-family, pro-gun rights, and fiscally responsible (and who is a nice guy to boot!). If you notice on the VCDLLegislative Tracker, Delegate Cole is the primary sponsor in several pro-liberty reforms to our Commonwealth's gun laws. Go Mark!

I received this in my inbox. It is making the rounds and is worth reprinting. I apologize that I cannot give original attribution, but I really DO appreciate the sentiment. It would make a nice "State of the Union Address".

Newbius

The email:

WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN, GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?

'My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of the Iraq regime has been completed.

Since Congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq . This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now time to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short . The United Kingdom , Spain , Bulgaria , Australia , and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains every one not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war. THEN EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER It'll GO TO OUR SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM SO IT WONT GO BROKE IN 20 YEARS.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hell holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine ? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France .

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France or maybe China .

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France , and Russia . Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York.

A special note to our neighbors: Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2. Its president and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple thousand extra tanks and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put 'em? Yep, border security.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty - starting now.

We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska -which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, 'darn tootin.'

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America . It is time to eliminate homelessness in America . To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thank you guys. We owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought : You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.Proverbs 21:20 (NIV)

Save for the future, do not live for today at the expense of tomorrow.

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant (slave) to the lenderProverbs 22:7 (NIV)

When you are in debt, the lender calls the shots. If you are an individual, this could be a friend, parent or grandparent, bank, or government.

When you are a nation, the Master is whomever holds your bonds - especially whomever holds the majority of the bonds in circulation. In the event of a default, there will be a reckoning.

The United States Fiscal Year Budget for 2010 is $3.5 Trillion dollars. Of this sum, fully HALF is additional debt. Compare the FY2008 outlook letter from the OMB with the President's transmittal letter for the budget for FY2010. Notice that nowhere listed in any of these is the fact that we are a debtor nation which is fiscally broken, and who owes our very financial existence to China and the Arab nations which hold the bulk of our debt.

The President can decry the "inherited deficit" all he wants to. The enablers in the media will broadcast it without question. The facts are that over one trillion dollars of that deficit was stimulus funds and budgetary pork for special interests, all of which had to first be borrowed or confiscated from producers in the first place. Even so, his current budget exceeds the deficits of FY2008 by an additional $1.3 trillion without TARP and Stimulus moneys.

It is almost like he is intentionally trying to crash the economic system...

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Contrast the above statement with the list of policies which our Dear Reader President has on his website regarding taking from the productive, and giving to the indolent.

We have created a permanent underclass of citizens for whom welfare is a way of life, and on whose behalf an entire economic system of enablers ensures that it continues.

I propose that every family who wants to eat should work for their sustenance. If you have someone in your family who is in need, help them. Do not come to my house and, at the point of a gun, take from me to feed them. Do not send the government to my house to, at the point of a gun on your behalf, take from me to feed them.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Starting next week, I am going to be posting an irregular series entitled "Things politicians will never say". Hopefully, it will pique your interest in questioning your representatives about issues affecting your freedom, and issues affecting your wallet.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Re-posting here, the comment I made on Joe Huffman's blog about the CIFTA Treaty. (Not because I am genius, but because I don't have that many coherent statements and I hate to waste them.)

Joe,

When I queried my Senator (Webb) about this, he indicated support for it. The "Pro-gun" democrats (if such an animal actually exists) really do believe that this will not have any domestic implications for private gun ownership, ammunition reloading, or private gun transactions. When looked at through their Pollyanna lenses of being good world citizens, this treaty makes perfect sense. However, if we look at it through the "worst enemy" lens of rational legislation, we can foresee many instances of this law being the basis for abuse of our Second Amendment rights. It doesn't take a Rhodes Scholar to figure out that this treaty is targeted at the American gun owner. And, that removing this last bastion of Free Men is the goal of the people for whom world government is an ultimate prescription to solving the world's problems.

CIFTA should be on everybody's radar scope who values their freedom. I do not believe that it is alarmist to call out the Senate on this one, no matter how early it is in the game. My senators have both heard from me. I hope that everyone who reads your blog will do likewise and let their own senators know that this treaty shall not be ratified, as it is anathema to Liberty.

The French are accusing the United States of using the Haitian earthquake disaster as an excuse to occupy Haiti. Story HERE.

I am damned tired of France pissing in our Corn Flakes every chance they get. I shouldn't have to remind them that Haiti was one of their screwups. See the Wiki entry on Haiti. We are damned if we help them, and damned if we ignore them. Sucks to be us. Shame on France for playing politics with a disaster. It isn't the first time and it won't be the last. I am sure they just cannot help themselves...

Monday, January 18, 2010

The power to tax is the power to control. Never forget that fact. Anybody who tells you that they are raising taxes to raise revenue is lying to you. They are raising taxes to control behavior and force changes in the way you run your life.

Whenever a politician tells you that he is raising taxes to pay for something, instead look at the depressive effect that those taxes will have on whatever is being taxed. Any government that wanted to raise REVENUE, lowered taxes. Kennedy, Reagan, Bush increased (actually, Congress increased) revenue by lowering taxes. This stimulates investment and frees up capital for the people to spend, and the effects trickle down through all strata of society.

Don't be fooled by the deficit numbers. These only track the delta between revenue and spending. Even if revenue skyrocketed, if the spending out-paces it, then the deficit will increase (and will give the spenders some fodder to make the claim that lowering taxes increases the deficits). Watch who complains when tax rates are lowered. It will ALWAYS be the people who want to exert more control over your life. These people are the enemies of freedom and Liberty.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

First, let me state very clearly that the Haiti earthquake is a genuine tragedy. My heart goes out to all of the victims and their families. It is my sincere desire that as much relief be made available to the island as humanly possible.

Got that?

OK. Good.

For you patriots out there, please watch Haiti very closely. What is happening there, especially in Port-Au-Prince, is illustrative of what will happen in any kind of societal breakdown. There is already looting, pockets of anarchy as the government scrambles to retain control, instances of military patrols limiting access to certain areas, supply shortages in food and medicine, and difficulty getting relief to where it is needed due to communication failures and road conditions. Dysentery and other diseases are going to be an issue very shortly as sanitary conditions deteriorate further.

Additionally, the airports there are clogged, so needed supplies are stalled in the US awaiting access. Please note that the US is the largest supplier of aid so far (per our usual history). Also note, without the US Military taking over the air traffic control functions, whatever supplies that ARE making it into Haiti would otherwise be stalled.

Now, think about what would happen if the disaster was the collapse of the US Dollar, or a major natural disaster affecting an entire region, or a major disruption of electrical power, oil, natural gas, or water distribution. Who would provide aid to us? How would your town, city, county, or state react? How long could you and your family go without any of these basic supplies of our modern world? How about your neighborhood? Are you ready to go without new supplies of groceries and gasoline for a month or more? Really ready?

If the Federal Government took over supply distribution, how would they allocate resources? Would their Continuity of Operations plans take precedence over you and your family's survival needs? Would the Constitution still be in effect? Would martial law be declared until the crisis is over? What are your plans?

A young guy from Wyoming moves toCalifornia and goes to a big departmentstore looking for a job. The managersays, "Do you have any sales experience?"

The kid says, "Yeah, I was a salesmanback home in Wyoming."

Well, the boss liked the kid so he gavehim the job. "You start tomorrow.I'll come down after we close and seehow you did."

His first day on the job was rough buthe got through it. After the storewas locked up, the boss came down."How many sales did you make today?"

The kid says, "One."

The boss says, "Just one? Our salespeople average 20 or 30 sales a day.How much was the sale for?"

Kid says, "$101,237.64."

Boss says, "$101,237.64? What the helldid you sell?"

Kid says, "First I sold him a small fishhook. Then I sold him a medium fish hook.Then I sold him a larger fish hook. ThenI sold him a new fishing rod. Then I askedhim where he was going fishing and he saiddown at the coast, so I told him he wasgoing to need a boat, so we went down tothe boat department and I sold him thattwin engine Chris Craft. Then he saidhe didn't think his Honda Civic would pullit, so I took him down to the automotivedepartment and sold him that 4X4 Blazer."

The boss said, "A guy came in here tobuy a fish hook and you sold him a boatand a truck?"

Kid says, "No, he came in here to buya box of tampons for his wife and Isaid, "Well, your weekend's shot,you might as well go fishing!"

Or, alternatively, if your enemy is using asymmetric warfare against you, then killing him quickly and publicly becomes an effective deterrent. Because then there are fewer of them.

If a "knicker-bomber" tries to kill me, my initial gut response is to want to take him out onto the tarmac and put one between his eyes in front of about 100 media cameras. Because the point will be made much more effectively that barbarous acts deserve barbarous responses. This we don't do.

If a regular, garden-variety thug attempts to forcibly enter my home, steal my stuff, or threaten my life, I have a legal and moral right to defend myself and stop the attack. Even if stopping the attack means that I stop the thug's life in the process. Because, actions have consequences. Why should our national policy towards terrorist thugs be any less direct?

"They" have declared war upon us and our way of life. At what point do we acknowledge this and react appropriately? At what point do we respond in a manner that they understand, and give them a response that they will respect? Do we really want to stop this war upon our way of life and act like a real country, a superpower? Or, should we just continue to arrest them, let them lawyer up, and then spend the next two or three decades going through our civil appeals processes as if this is a law-enforcement issue?

Does continuing down this current path serve another purpose than "keeping us safe"? Is it really, instead, about power over our citizens by our elected officials? From something far more sinister from within? Think about it.

Sometimes called "The Stupid Party". Also known as the Republican Party. They still haven't found their way. They still think that the upcoming election is about Party, and not Ideas.

The public face of the party, Michael Steele, was chosen because he was inoffensive to the middle. The Base doesn't care for him because he is a party hack who lacks core values that were championed by the likes of Reagan. The Left doesn't care for him because he comes across as a shill chosen for token reasons, an empty suit. In consequence, the middle dislikes him because he doesn't represent anything of substance.

While it is just fine to oppose ideas that are anathema to Liberty, such as the current health-care monstrosity, the party MUST champion real alternatives and explain why LIBERTY is the better option. Otherwise, the collectivists and their media enablers will continue to (correctly) portray Brand R as the party that stands for nothing except opposition to "progressive social change". It is time for Brand R to stand for something again.

In 1994, Newt Gingrich came out with the Contract With America. A handful of items that polled well, were easy to campaign for by rookie politicians, and which resonated with the electorate. They won by significant margins. When they ran out of ideas and began to govern like Democrat-Lite, they got booted. Rightfully so.

In the upcoming election in 2010, Brand R (or any coherent party which can organize a resonating message) stands to gain significantly just because of voter disaffection with the Marxists currently in charge. It is not enough to just win, however. The Conservatives need to swing for the fences and not only stop the current socialist transformation, but repeal at least 80 years of social programs which have no place in our free country. We need to say not just NO, but Hell NO.

We can begin by stopping the current Health Care, Stimulus, and Cap and Trade agendas, while at the same time stating WHY the ideas are bad for the country. Just saying NO is not enough. We need to clearly explain WHY these things are going to destroy us, and in a way that empty suits like Steele are capable of coherently articulating. Otherwise, we just punt the issue downstream another couple of years while watching our liberty slowly erode.

"No" is a valuable choice. However, to make it a successful choice, we need to ALSO say WHY. Something to think about as you prepare to call your so-called representatives yet again.

Friday, January 8, 2010

The Virginia Assembly is now in session. Several pro-gun bills are pending before the VA legislature this year and there is going to be a rally of gun owners on January 18th. According to a post by Turk, CCW permit holders will be the ones NOT having to suffer the indignity of being poked, prodded, and scanned for weapons...because we will be CARRYING THEM ON OUR PERSONS LEGALLY while visiting our representatives. We will have an express lane!

Yippee!

Seriously folks. This is how it should be.

The Virginia Citizens Defense League has a tracker of pending bills before the Virginia Legislature that they support. These are all "Sensible Gun Laws", in that they remove silly restrictions currently placed upon the law-abiding in the Commonwealth.

To this list, I would like my Delegate to add legislation affirming that state entities (which are NOT the legislature) are prohibited from infringing on our Constitutional (Federal and State) Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Specifically, that the state should preempt any and all laws by any municipality, regulatory agency, or College Board of Regents which usurps the legislature's purview in this area. If we are really trying to prevent another Virginia Tech tragedy, disarming the victims is not the way to achieve it.

When I visit with my delegate on the 18th, I will be bringing this letter as well as this one, and requesting of him that the Legislature extend preemption of ALL gun issues, whether open-carry or concealed-carry to all agencies in the state. Additionally, I want the legislature to work on open reciprocity of all permit holders from other states, to ensure that other gun owners do not run afoul of any patchwork laws which may trip them up.

Sounds ambitious...but the opportunity to act is before us like never before. I hope to see you there.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Sorry for the dearth of posting. I just finished a week of visits by family and friends, at times with nearly 30 people in the house enjoying good food, drink, and conversation. The weekend was capped off by a joint (Boy Scout and Girl Scout) Court of Honor ceremony awarding the highest rank that Scouting offers to each of my children. Oldest and Middle Child are now, formally and officially, EagleScouts, and Youngest has earned her GoldAward.

They have earned their ranks and are fine young leaders. And, yes, I am a proud father of all three! They did good! :D

I hope that your New Year also started out well. Let's make 2010 the year in which we return our nation to the Founder's values.